The suffering continues: a worrying injury threatens De Jong's readiness with Barcelona
Barcelona have suffered a fresh blow before the resumption of La Liga, after Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong sustained an injury that will rule him out of his national team's next match against Germany, amid concerns over the severity of the injury and the potential length of his absence.
According to the Spanish newspaper "AS", De Jong came off against Greece with "some minor physical discomfort", according to the medical statement issued by the Royal Dutch Football Association, and he will miss the upcoming match against Germany.
Netherlands head coach Xavi Hernandez had been keen to play down the knock after the crushing 7-0 win over Greece, insisting the substitution was "more of a precautionary measure" and nothing to worry about.
The mood shifted hours later. The Dutch association announced it had left Frenkie de Jong out of the squad preparing for Monday's clash with Germany, raising fears the injury was more serious than it first appeared.
Initial reports pointed to possible back pain. But the information obtained by "AS" places the injury in the pubic area, after the player felt pain and discomfort there during the match.
De Jong will undergo examinations on Monday under the supervision of Barcelona's medical staff to determine the nature of the injury and how severe it is.
Pubic injuries are notoriously troublesome. They can be difficult to treat, which makes any return date dependent on how his condition develops and how well he responds to treatment.
The setback lands hard on German coach Hansi Flick, who had only just welcomed back one of the key men in his lineup, especially given De Jong's knack for covering more than one position on the pitch.
He has impressed in recent weeks, whether slotting in at centre-back against Alaves or operating at right-back against Atletico Madrid.
For the first match after the international break, Flick awaits the results of De Jong's examinations. He will, however, regain two important players at once before the trip to Villarreal: Dani Olmo and Jules Kounde.
The rest of the injury list, meanwhile, must wait a little longer. Rodri, Xavi Espart and Roony Bardghji all face more time on the sidelines before they return to the pitch.
